Second Lethbridge egg farm positive for bird flu

ANOTHER egg farm west of Lethbridge has returned positive tests for H7N7 avian influenza.

Agriculture Victoria made the announcement via media release this evening and said the second site was within the original restricted area.

As a result, the State’s chief veterinary officer Dr Graeme Cooke said a direction will be given that all free-range commercial producers within the control zone, which takes in all of Golden Plains Shire, house their birds indoors until further notice.

“We will be introducing an obligation to house all free-range poultry indoors,” he said.

“This applies to commercial operators within the control area. Backyard flock owners must take all practical measures to reduce contact between wild birds and their domestic poultry.

“At this stage of the response we consider it prudent to keep the housing order in place for a minimum of thirty days.”

The announcement of further positive tests for bird flu come after Agriculture Victoria completed euthanising birds at the site of the original outbreak.

“We have completed destruction operations on the first farm and implemented surveillance and movement controls across the region,” Dr Cooke said.

“It was these measures that allowed the early detection of the virus on this farm.

“Agricultura Victoria thanks both property owners, vets and others who have been cooperative with this operation.”

As a result of the most recent cases, Agriculture Victoria has expanded the restricted area to now include the town of Lethbridge.

The control zone is unchanged and still included all of Golden Plains.

Both the restricted and control areas mean poultry or poultry products cannot be shipped out of the Shire without a permit, equipment needed to be cleaned before movement and extra bio-security measures were put in place on poultry farms.

“These controls prohibit the movement of poultry, birds, related equipment and products within and out of, the designated Control Area of Golden Plains Shire unless a permit has been granted by Agriculture Victoria until further notice. We thank everyone for their ongoing cooperation with this,” Dr Cooke said.

“This means all poultry and equipment, including hens, chickens, eggs and manure cannot be sold, including online, or given away at farm-gate, on property or taken to any markets.

“This applies equally to commercial and backyard producers.”

Bird flu affects chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, guinea fowl, quail, pheasants and ostriches while many species of wild birds, including waterfowl and seabirds, can also carry the virus without symptoms.

Dr Cooke asked people to be on the lookout for sick birds and report them if necessary.

“If you have sick or dead poultry or bids or notice a decline in egg production it is important to immediately notify the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888 or your vet,” he said.

“That number can also be used to report dead or sick wild birds or waterfowl as part of the National Avian Influenza Wild Bird Surveillance program conducted through Wildlife Health Australia.”

The Agriculture Victoria statement said H7N7 is not a risk to food safety or the public and rarely affects humans unless there’s direct and close contact with sick birds.